1-269-463 - Peter Thompson/Heritage Images

Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, Italy. Built by Arnolfo di Cambio between 1299 and 1314, the Palazzo della Signoria, as it was formerly known, was the seat of Florence's government until Cosimo I de' Medici relocated it to the Uffizi in the 1560s. After Italy achieved independence Florence was the nation's capital from 1865-1871 and the Chamber of Deputies sat in the Palazzo Vecchio. Today it houses the city council of Florence and the mayor's offices.